Device for clamping plates or sheets of metal



('NOSMMBI.) s sheets-sheet i.

` f C. LEHUSTON.

DEVICE POE GLAMPING PLATES 0E SHEETS 0E METAL.

N0.413,945. Pamtedoct. 29, 1889.

. (No Model.)4 8 ShetS--Sheet 2,

.0, L. HUSTON.- DEVIGE FOR GLAMPING PLATES 0E SHEETS 0E METAL. E No. 413,945. E Patented oct; 29,1889.

UNITED .STi-xTEsv PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LUKENSV HUSTON, OF OOATESVILLE, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN D. NEW- BOLD, OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR CLAMPING PLATES OR SHEETS OF METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofl Letters :Patent- No. 413,945, dated October 29, 1889.

" Application iiled April27, 1,889. Serial No. 308,799. (No model.)

To all whom-t may concern: ,v VBe it known that IA, CHARLES LUKENs HUS- TON, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Ooatesville, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Clamping Plates or Sheets of Metal; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation, generally,'to devices for clamping or holding sheets or plates of metal while being trimmed or sheared into a circular or other curved configuration of a form wherein one of two clamping heads or disks has a movement to and from the other by means of an actuating pressure-screw, and both disks, together wit-h theplate of metal clamped between them, havea rotary movement on their axis to feed the outer rim or edge part of the plateintoor Withdraw it from the cutters or shears, and it has relation particularly to the .special form of the same wherein the to-and-fro movable disk is secured to the actuating .pressurerscrew by a t ball-and-socket couplingfor the purpose of admitting of said disk adjusting itself to the inequalities or unevenness inthe plane of the plate or sheet of metal between the disks, and

thereby cause both disks to bite or contact with the plate throughout the entire area of their biting or contact surfaces to firmly hold the plate without imposing torsional strain on the pressurescrew. In said devices as v heretofore constructed, so far as I am aware,

the actuating pressurescrew is rotated to advance the movable head or disk to and withdraw it from the other disk, and also to impose the necessary clamping-pressure on the j disks. In practice itl has been found that when said clamping-pressure is large, as is the case for thick heavy plates, and the disks and plate clamped between them are rotated on their axis to feed the outer rim or edge of the plate 'to and withdraw it from the shears,

the pressure-screw also partakes of such roe, tary movement, and if such movement bein, the direction of the pitch of the threads on,

the screw the latter is turned to impose ad 5o ditional clampingepressure on the disks to prevent or interfere with the freedom of said rotary movement of the disks and plate, and if such rotation is in a direction opposite that of the pitch of said threads it reversely turns the screw and diminishes the clampingpress` ure ongthe disks. My invention has for its objects to avoid said described objections; or, in other words, to so construct or arrange the pressure-screw 6o that it does not rotateto clamp the disks to the plate inserted betweenthem, and admits of a rotary moveme'nt'of the disks and plate without affecting the screw or its pressure upon the disks; .to provide a positive instead of a frictional bite for'the rocking disk; to means for initially adjusting the holding device longitudinally to and from the cutters to suit or accommodate different sizes of plates to be trimmed; to other and separate 7o means for finally or terminally adjusting the holding device longitudinally to admit of the successive withdrawalof a trimmed plate and the insertion of a plate to be trimmed when it is desired to operate upon a number of yplates of the same size; to means for securely sheet-metal plates having actuating press- 9o ure-screw, terminal longitudinal-adjustment mechanism, means for limiting its oscillating movement, and showing it arranged `to be initially movedlongitudinally to and from the shears by Weight or manual pressure ex- 95 erted against it. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, drawn to a small scale, and showing mechanism for initially moving the device longitudinally, stop-bar for limiting the oscillating movement of the device, and terminal longitudinal-adjusment mechanism." Fig. 3 is a plan of the bed-plate for the holding device, the latter being removed. Figs. 4 and 5 show, respectively, an inverted plan and a sectional elevation of a form of clampingdisk having set-screws with knife-edges for a positive bite or contact with the sheet or plate of metal. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively an inverted plan and an elevation of a modified form of same. Figs. 8 and 9 are corresponding views of still another modification of same. Fig. 10 is a plan of detail part for the actuating pressure-screw. Fig. 11 is an elevation, partly broken away, showing modification of devices for longitudinally y moving the holding device. Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation, drawn to an enlarged scale, of part of the holding device, part of the bedplate therefor, axial or pivotal connection between said parts, and terminal longitudinaladjustment and locking mechanism for the holding device. Fig. 13 is a plan of holding device, showing lnore plainly the position of its stop-bar and its axial or pivotal connectionwith bed-plate; and Fig. 14 is a plan of such axial or pivotal connection and terminal longitudinal-adjustment mechanism for holding device.

A represents the holding device, consisting, essentially, of a yoke-shaped frame or housing d, in the lower limb a of which is suitably supported,so as to rotate on its axis, a clamping head or disk B, which, as shown, is mounted upon a short spindle b, having its bearing in a socket a2 in limb a, and between the end of spindle b and the bottom of socket a2 are inserted one or more steel or other` suitable washers h', to prevent wear on the bottom of socket a2, and by means of which the height of the disk B above the limb a may be adjusted as desired. The limbct3 of yoke ct at its outer end is provided with a tubular bushing C, threaded in its bore c for engagement witha screw D. Said bushing may be constructed and secured in position in any suitable manner, and has at its upper end a hand-wheel E, through the smooth bore of which the screw D passes, as shown more plainly in Fig. 1. The screw D is provided with one, two, or more longitudinal slots cl,which engage with feathers 0r studs f in an opening f in a plate F, firmly secured, as indicated at f3, to the limb a3, to prevent the screw D from rot-ating. At the lower end of screw D is secured a clamping head or disk G in any suitable manner; but I prefer to use a ball-and-socket-coupling connection g for the same, so that the disk G, when contacting with a plate or sheet of metal on disk B will have a rocking motion to adjust itself tto the plane of the plate or sheet of metal and cause bothdisks to bite the metal throughout the entire area of their biting-surfaces and without imposing any torsional strain on screw D, as fully explained in United States Letters Patent dated November 22, 1887, No. 373,672. By turning the hand-wheel E the bushing C, connected therewith, is rotated to move the screw D up and down to advance the disk G to or withdraw it from the disk B.

As the screwD does not rotate to effect the described movement of the disk G, the disks G and B, together with the plate inserted between them, when under clamping-pressure, can be readily rotated to feed the outer rim or edge of .the plate to the shears or withdraw the same therefrom independently of the screw or without affecting or varying the clamping-pressure on the disks. The plate therefore is rmly held in position between the disks, and the latter, with the plate, can be freely rotated on theiraxisin any direction when under pressure of screw D.

As plate F is removable from limb a3 and the disk G is detachable, from screw D and the hand-wheel from sleeve or bushing C, all of said parts are susceptible of being easily removed from the holding device A for repairs or replacement.

The holding device A is pivoted or axially connected to a bed-plate H by a bolt h, and I prefer to provide for such connection as shown in Fig. l2, wherein the bed-plate H is provided' with a longitudinal inverted-T-shaped slot h in which is located the head h2 of the bolt h. The latter passes through a sleeve h3, having at its bottom a reduced part or shoulder h4, which `snugly fits in the narrow limb or part of the bed-plate slot h to prevent lateral movement of said bolt, sleeve, and consequently of the holding device A. Above said sleeve-shoulder h4, and resting on the top of the bed-plate, is an enlarged collar or iiange h5, which, together with the sleeve h3, fits in a corresponding opening or bearing h6 in another sleeve hi, which bearing h6 is eccentric with the periphery of sleeve h7 to make it an eccentric sleeve, and it fits or has its bearing in a hub h8 on the holding device A. The top of sleeves h3 and h7 are practically flush with the top of the hub hs, and upon which is placed a washer h", against which impinges a nut h10 upon the upper threaded end of bolt h for securing said parts 'together'. The eccentric sleeve h7 is provided with a laterally-projecting handle or lever h, which projects through a segmental slot h12 in hub hs. (See more plainly Fig. 14.) The lever h, if desired, is provided with any suitable spring-pawl attachment h13 for engaging with recesses h14 in the adjacent surface of the slot h12 in hub h8 to hold the eccentric sleeve in its adjusted position.

The bolt h and sleeve h3 form the pivotal connection for the holding device A to admit of oscillating the same on such pivotal connection. The eccentric sleeve h7 forms the mechanism for terminally adjusting the device longitudinally, and the nut h10 on bolt h, in conjunction with the Washer h", forms the means for locking said parts in theiradjusted positions to correspondingly secure the holdlOO IIO

ing device A in its adjusted position, as hereinafter described. e

In Fig.` l" the holding device A- isshown` without mechanism separate from the eccentric sleeve 7L7 for moving it longitudinally. Hence, to impart to it the initiallongitudinal movement to and `from the cutters, in order to admit of oscillating the holding device A, the nut on bolt h is loosened, and manual or other pressure is applied to the holding device. I prefer, however, to secure the holding `device A to a separate bottom piece I, Figs. 2 and 43, by means of said described pivotal connection, and at the forward end of the bottom -piece I mount thereon in'suitable bearings or brackets t' a transverse shaft 115, having a gearwheel d2, which meshes with a rack hm, secured to or formed on the lbed-plate H. At opposite ends of shaft 5 are ratchet-wheel and hand-pawl mechanism' K K respectively, which may be arranged to work or beworked right and left, as shown more plainly in Fig. 3, so that by operating the pawl-levers 7c in the proper direction the shaft 115 and gearwheel t2 are rotated to effect a to-and-fro sliding movement of the bottom piece I and device A on the bed-plate ToV bed-plate H or to bottom piece I, at any suitable place thereon, as shown more plainly in Fig. 13, is secured a bracket or standard L, having in its top a set-screw 7, for thepurpose of limiting or stopping the movement of the device A on itspivot-holt h.. Instead of securing the rack 7am to bed-plate H, the same "may be secured to the housing or frame of the cutter or shearing-machine, as indicated in Fig. 1l, and, if desired, the ratchet-wheel and hand-pawl mechanism on shaft 'i5 may be dispensed with, in which case the ends of shaft 5 may be made angular, ,as shown in Fig. 11, for the reception of hand cranks or Winches for actuating shaft 5 and gear-wheel i2.

The biting-surfaces of the disks B and ,G may be smooth, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, to frictionally hold the plate between them, or they may be covered v"or provided with leather, rubber, or other suitable elastic 'material Z (see Figs. 8 and 9) to increase the bite of the same. For thick heavy plates I prefer to provide the disks with slightly-projecting knife-edges, either in the form of tubular set screws fm, with lower knife-'edges m suitably disposed around the disks, or in the form of radially-arranged bars n, with knife-edges, as shown in"Figs. 4 and 5 and in Figs 6 and '7, respectively.

The advantage of using the tubular screws 'm is that they can be adjust-ed, as desired, to more or less proj ect their knife-edges beyond ,the surfac'eof the disks to increase ordi'min` i-eeuy 'te the device A. The ieaeiis then .swung onits pivotal connections away from to be trimmed, and when such adjustment is made the pawl h1? on eccentricsleeve handle hn, engages with one of the recesses 7l in segmental slot 71.12 to hold the eccentric sleeve 7t7 in position, and the nut hw is screwed down on washer h5 to firmly clamp the holding devi'ceA in position. The disks B and G, with the plate between them, are then rotated on their axis to feed the outer rim. or edge to `the cutters to be trimmed. By reversing said described movements the trimmed plate is withdrawn IOO or drawing of the plate as aheavy cut is made. y

Itis obvious that the construction of thenovel details above described maybe variously made without departing from the spirit of my in- -vention, and hence I do not limit myself to the same as shown and described.

What I claim is-e Y l. The combination, with a Vpivotally-supported holding device A, of a stop-bar L, ha`ving an adj listing-screw 7, substantially as set forth.

' 2. The combination, with a pivotally-supported holding device A, of a stop-bar L and lA, having a swingingmovement on a pivotal IIO support, of mechanism for initially moving the device A longitudinally and separate mechanism for terminally adjusting the device A longitudinal-ly, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a holding device A, having sleeve-bearing 718, of a bed-plate,

bolt-connection 71 sleeve l71,3, Vand eccentric anism,substantially as set forth.A

6. The combinatin of a holding device A,

-having a swinging motion on a jpivotal'supf port, stop-bar therefor, mechanism for initially longitudinally moving said device, and separate mechanism foreompleting such 1ongitudinalmovement,'substantially asset forth.

7. The combination of a yoke-frame A, the head ordisk B, vertically-sliding screw D, rotating tubular sleeve or bushing C, engaging with said screw and having hand-wheel E, and disk or head G at the lower end of screw D, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of yoke-frame a, tubular sleeve or bushing C, threaded in its bore and having hand-wheel E, the vertically-sliding screw D, engaging with sleeve C, head or disk G, and ball-and-socket connection between disk G and screw D, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of yoke-frame a, rotating disk B, tubular sleeve C, threaded in its bore and having hand-wheel E, screw D, en-

gaging with sleeve C and having longitudinal slots d, plate F, having studs Jvengagingwith screw-slots d, and head or disk G at the lower end of screw D, substantially as set forth.

1 0. In a holding device A, the disk G, having supplementary biting-surfaces, substantially as set forth.

l1. In a sheet-metal holding device A, the rocking clamping disk or head G, provided with supplementary biting-surfaces, substantially as set forth.

12. In a sheet-metal holding device A, clamping disks or heads, supplementary biting surface or surfaces on said disks, and actuating pressure-screw, substantiall;r as set forth.

13. In combination with the rotatable sheet metal holding device A, the stop-bar L, substantially as set forth.

14. In combination with the rotatable sheetmetal holding device, abcd-plate and mechanism interposed between the bed-plate and holding device for sliding the latter upon the former, substantially as set forth.

15. In combination with the sheet-metal holding device A, the bot-tom piece I, bedplate H, and mechanism interposed between bottom piece I and bed-plate H for sliding the bottom piece on the bed-plate, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of sheet-metal holding device A, bottom piece I, pivotal connection between holding device A and bottom piece I, shaft 1T', having gear-wheel 1?, mounted on bottom piece I, and bed-plate H, having rack hm, engaging with wheel substantially as set forth.

17. The combination of bed-plate IL, bottom piece I, holding device pivoted to bottom piece I, stop-bar L on the latter, and mechanism interposed between the bed-plate II and bottom piece I for sliding the latter on the former, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaiiix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

CHAS. LUKENS HUSTON.

Vitnesses:

CHAs. F. VAN HORN, S. J. VAN STAvoREN. 

